For The Love Of My Name by Lakshmi Persaud. Peepal Tree Press. 2000

Reviewed by Seopaul Singh

The author sets the backdrop of her novel against the mysteries which surrounded the disappearance of the fictional Island of Maya. Somehow that disappearance had everything to do with a culture in which the wearing of purple masks became a way of life of the notables of Bon Air, the township on the Island of Maya. In her quest to find explanations for the disappearance of the Island, she was directed to the 'Library of Mysteries' on 'Independence Square’. There she stood before a huge door, with the words of Dr. Ann Ward ringing in her head: "The wearer becomes the Mask." She was still troubled by another statement: "Purple Mask bonded to the human skin." In expressing her puzzlement to Dr. Ward, a scholar of Greek Literature and the Ancient world, she was told, "masks… as you all well know disguises, covers, cloaks, a form of concealment, and added later… A concealment of the psyche – the wearer's." She continued, "But in this instance the psychic fear of the entire community, and that is deadly."

These are the statements which introduced to the reader the quest of the writer and thereby the unfolding of the satire "For the Love of my Name". A more appropriate title of the book presented itself in the theme of a program the writer was waiting to view – The Culture of the Purple Masks.

Within the context of 'concealment' harbors the details of the mystery, which prompted questions about the disappearance of the Island of Maya: Who introduced the wearing of purple mask to the Notables of Bon Air in Maya? What were the motives of such a move and what were the consequences? The answer to these questions then would serve to provide the body of the novel which presented a moving picture of the ruthlessness with which the President of Maya, Robert Agustus Devonish, ruled the island. He had outwitted his main rival, Emmanuel Pottaro, took over the government and ruled all Maya with an iron hand, more specifically subjugating the country Mayans. The gruesome use of a tractor to crush a female protester sent the message of intolerance loud and clear to all country Mayans.

Devonish exalted the social status of his supporters in Bon Air, the urban Mayans, and inveigled them to cover, with purple masks, their barefaced atrocities against the country Mayans who originated out of a country different from that of his motherland. Those country Mayans were unapologetically subjected to pay allegiance to the racist policies of the Devonish, the self-proclaimed President for life. In short, the masked ones were the wielders of absolute power. Hiding conveniently behind the Mask, they exercised their ruthlessness incognito, and without fear. Thus, there was the developing of a psychic fear in the entire community of the wearers of the purple mask. What became more apprehensive was that any and every Urban Mayan, regardless of their station in life, were immediately feared by non-wearers. The higher up they were the deeper the hue of the purple mask….

The unfolding symbolism, therefore, encompassed the diabolical process of how power corrupts; and the corruption of the entire community of Urban Mayans who proceeded to suppress and control the hapless country Mayans. At first those who choose to wear the Purple mask felt an enviable superiority over the non-wearers. They gained access to such luxuries that were available only to their party members. The wearers of the deeper hued masks had easier access to the coveted scarce essential consumer goods. But in the process none could survive the repressive control exercised by the President for life; even the most trusted of his supporters were vulnerable.

Alas! There was a price attached to such diabolical display of arrogance. The wearers not only did so at the risk of being sucked into a whirlpool of absolute corruption, but also there was a bizarre fatal attraction for the continued masking of the identities of the corrupt. The accursed masks eventually stuck to the skin of the wearers and the faces of the wearers became one with the faces of the masks. What at first was a convenient cover-up of the shameful exercise of privilege, eventually resulted in an unabashed acceptance of the violence and violation of moral principles in dealing with the country Mayans.

Only the masked ones were considered as human. The most uncalled for terror was unleashed against all those who would dare to question the policies and actions of Devonish and his goons. One resident of Maya, Vasu, who was in love with Aasha, photographed the torture of children in a hinterland commune. He was made an example to others in a terror flight over the jungle dangling from a rope. He lost his mind and was forever separated from the love of his life.

The major opponent of Devonish, who proved a thorn in his side, was marked for assassination. He was an academic named Gavin who won the support of several former supporters of Devonish. This was an intolerable affront to the ego of the President for life; so Gavin was cut down in his prime before his influence gained more ground and threatened the stranglehold of Devonish. Migration was the only hope of the country Mayans. Many of Devonish former supporters also could no longer abide with the devilish philosophy of the maniac. They migrated at the first opportunity that presented itself. The violence and inhuman treatment of the people of Maya were undoubtedly the reasons for the eventual sinking of the accursed Island.

The author made her characters share their inner thoughts in sundry journal entries. She made Robert Augustus Devonish, in a spell of retribution before his fatal demise, chronicle his last days in Maya – in a soul baring reflection. The disenfranchised leader of the Opposition Emmanuel Pottaro and all the other characters were made to document the realities about the intrigues (which had made Robert Augustus and his supporters, the terror to the people of Maya). They recorded more realistic activities than were made out by Devonish's propaganda machine. Even Marguerite, the remorseful sister of the President for life, had her misgivings, and considered putting an end to the atrocious reign of her diabolical brother.

Lakhmi Persaud was born in Tunapuna, Trinidad. After studies at Queens University in Belfast, she taught at Queens College, Guyana, St Augustine Girls School, Trinidad, and Harrison College, and St. Michael's Girls School in Barbados, before moving to England. She also authored Butterfly in the Wind, 1990 and Shastra, 1993.